Hyderabad: Four juveniles were today arrested for allegedly attempting to rape a 19-year-old student at the University of Hyderabad campus here, police said.

The incident occurred near a lake in the campus last night, when the woman and her male classmate, both post-graduate students, were chatting, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Madhapur Zone) Vishwa Prasad told reporters. The juveniles, aged between 16 and 17, had entered the campus by jumping the compound wall with an intention to steal copper wires, he said. After noticing the two students, they initially demanded money and their mobile phones. When the duo resisted they made an attempt to rape the woman after robbing them, the DCP said. "It was valiant fight by the woman's classmate with the juveniles, which prevented the possible sexual assault," he said.

The four hit him with sticks and stones resulting in bleeding injuries. Besides, they also tried to strangle him with a belt, he said. The woman resisted their attempts to undress her and managed to escape. She suffered minor injuries when she fell on the ground.

The juveniles chased the students for over one km on the campus but when they reached near a building on the campus they handed over the wallet and mobile phone of the woman, threatening her not to reveal the incident to anyone. They fled with her friend's purse and mobile phone, the officer said.

The woman later approached other students and subsequently a complaint was lodged with police, he said, adding, both of them were taken to hospital. Charges of attempt to rape, attempt to murder and robbery under relevant IPC sections were registered against them, he said.

Two of them were involved in several cases of robbery and theft of two-wheelers and autorickshaws, the DCP said. The officer said they will write to the university authorities requesting them to install CCTV cameras at vulnerable places, setting up a watch-tower on the 1,500 acre campus besides step up patrolling.